Friction shock-absorbing mechanism



March 15, 1927. 1,620,652

S. B. HASELT-INE FRIC'FION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 2l. 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2l Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

U N lil El) Si at if El STACY B. HASELTINE, OF CHCAGO, 'LLINOS, ASSIGNOR, BY lVLESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0.

H. WIENER, I'NC., it. CORPORTON DF DELAWARE.

FRJICTION SHOCK-JLBSORBING MECHANISM.

Application led January 21, 1924. Seral'No. 687,529.

This invention relates to improvements in friction shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the iimention is to provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism,y espe*- cially adapted. for railway draft riggings,

wherein is obtained high capacity and certain release.

A more specific objectof the invention is to pro-vide a friction shock absorbing mecha nism wherein are employed a plurality of differential wedge elements, and an auxiliary yoke having wedging means thereon coacti'ng with the differential wedge Other objects and advantages of the inventi-on will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of a railway draft rigging, showing my improve ments in connectie-n therewith. Figure 2 is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view corresponding substantially to the line 2 2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a detailed, per-spective View of one of the spring followers. And Figure l is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating a different embodiment of the invention.,

In said drawings, referring first to the construction illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, 10-10 denote channel shaped center or draft sills of a railway car underframe, to the inner faces of which are secured front stop lugs 11 and rea-r stop lugs 12 arranged in the usual manner. A portion of the drawbar is indicated at 13, to which is secured a yoke 14 of well known form. The shock absorbing mechanism prop-r, hereinafter described, is disposed within the yoke. All the movable parts of the draft rigging are arranged to be supported by a detachable saddle plate 16.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism proper, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, comprises broadly, a pair of front and rear fol lowers A-A; a spring cage B; four end wedges C-C; an auxiliary yoke D; front and rear sets of twin spring resistance elements E-E; and front and rear spring `followers F-F.

The front and rear followers ar-e of like construction, each being of hollow, rectangular form and having interior opposed side wedge faces 17-17 diverging inwardly or cally disposed end sections Qtr-25.

toward the center of the mechanism. Each followerl is also provided with a transverse, flat outer face 18 adapted to coact with the corresponding stop lugs in the usual man ner.

The spring cage B is in the forni of a hol low, rectangular casing open at the frontk and rear ends. The casing is divided into front and rear chambers by a vertically disposed, transverse, central partitionwall 118 65 formed integral therewith.

The four wedges @-0, which are:f of like l construction, are arranged in pairs at opposite ends of the mechanism, one pair coact` ing with the front followerA and the other with the rear follower. Each wedge C is in. the form of a block having transverse, inner flat face 19 engaging the corresponding spring follower F, and a pair of out wardly converging` wedge faces 117 and 20, the wedge face 117 of each block C being correspondingly inclined to and adapted to coact with the adjacent wedge face' 17 of one of the followers A. At the inner end., each ofthe blocks C is also formed with a cent-rally disposed', cylindrical guide and retaining lug 21 working in one of a pair of guide slots .Q2- 22 provided in the corresponding spring follower F. The lugscoact with the slots to limit the relative separation: of the wedge blocks of. each pair: thereby retaining the blocks in assemb'ledrelation with the yoke and lother parts before being applied to the car, and also preventing eX- cessive separation of the blocks after the mechanism has been applied to the` car.

rlhe auxiliary yoke D is in the form of a relatively heavy casting having a central opening 23 defined by upper and lower lon.- gitudinally disposed arms 24m-24,` and verti- Each end section25 is cut away at the opposite sides as clearly shown in Figure 1, .to provide a pair of inwardly converging wedge faces 120-120, each adapted to coact with 100 the wedge face 20 of one of the wedge blocks C. At each end, the yoke D is provided with a vertically disposed flat transverse face 26 adapted to abut the inner surface of the end wall of the corresponding follower 105 when the mechanism. is fully compressed, llhe parts are preferably so proportioned that there will be a slight clearance as indicated at 27 between each spring `follower and the corresponding inner end wall of the 110 yoke, when the parts are in normal position, so that the expansive action of the springs E will maintain the wedge blocks engaged with the wedge faces of the yoke, and the lugs 21 at the outer ends of the slots 22.

As clearly shown in the drawings, the spring cage B is disposed within the opening 23 of the yoke, having limited movement therein, a slight clearance being provided between the opposite ends of the cage B and the yoke. In this connection, it is pointed out that the opposite ends of the yoke and the opposite ends of the spring cage are normally spaced from the inner faces of the end walls and the inner ends of the front and rear followers respectively, as shown, the total spacing between the cage and the two followers A being equal to the permissible stroke of the mechanism. Both the yoke D and the spring cage B are freely movable between the frontand rear followers of the mechanism.

The spring resistance elements E are four in number', two being disposed in twin ar- Irangement in Jeach chamberI of the spring cage B, and the two sets of twin spring resistance elements being arranged at the front and rear ends of the mechanism. Each spring resistance element E comprises a relatively light inner coil and a relatively heavier outer coil bearing at their inner ends on the central partition 118. The springs are preferably placed under initial compression when the parts are assembled to maintain the wedge blocks engaged with the wedge faces of the yoke and the guide and retaining lugs at the outer ends of the corresponding slots.

The spring followersF are two in number, one being disposed at each end of the mechanism between the corresponding wedge blocks C and the outer ends of the adjacent pair of twin springs. Each spring follower .is in the form of a rectangular plate, having v a flat outer surface 28 adapted to slidingly receive the flat end faces 19 of the corresponding pair of wedge blocks C.

The voperation of the mechanism shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is as follows. Upon relative approach of the front and rear followers A-A in either buffl or draft, a wedging action will be set up between the coacting wedge faces of the followers and the respective blocks C, the blocks C being forced inwardly against the resistance of the springs E, longitudinally toward the center and laterally toward the axis 0f the mechanism, the Wedge faces 2O of the blocks slipping on the corresponding wedge faces 120 of the yoke D. The lioating yoke D moves in a direction in line with the applied force, either buff or draft at a rateequal to one-half the speed of the follower to which the force is applied, the opposite ends of the same acting in the manner of wedges relatively fixed with reference to each other. During the compresrespective followers engage the opposite ends of the spring cage B, whereupon the forces will be transmitted directly through the yoke D and cage B, which together function as a column-loacl-sustaining means transmitting the forces to the center sills. Upon removal of the actuating pressure, expansion of the spring elements E effects return of all the parts to normal position.

Referring next to the construction illustrated in Figure 4l, the improved shock absorbing mechanism comprises, broadly, front and rear follower casings Anii'; four end wedges C'-C'; an auxiliary yoke D', twin spring resistance elements E'-E; and front and rear spring followers F'-F'.

rlhe front and rear follower casings AA are of like construction, each being of rectangular outline, and having spaced top, bottom, end and side walls, and being open at their inner ends. At the outer closed end of each casing A', a pair of interior opposed side wedge faces 13G-130 are provided, diverging inwardly or toward the center of the mechanism. rlhe inner ends of the casings A are normally spaced apart a distance equal to the permissible stroke of the mechanism, so that when the same is compressed, the inner ends of the casings will abut, acting in the manner of column-loadsustaining members. l

The four wedges C'-C' are in all respects similar to the wedges C-C hereinbefore described, each being provided with a flat inlll) ner end face 119 and a pair of outwardly converging wedge faces 131 and 120, adapted to coact respectively with the corresponding wedge face of one of the followers A' and one of the wedge faces 182 at the corresponding end of the yoke D.

The yoke D' is in all respects similar to the yoke D hereinbefore described, the same having a central opening 123 defined by upper and lower arms 124 and end sections 125.

|The yoke is also provided with flat front and rear faces 126 adapted to coact with the iuner surfaces of the front and rear followers A' respectively.

The spring followers F', which are disposed in the central opening 123 of the yoke D', are similar to the followers F, each being inthe form of a rectangular plate having a pair of slots 122-122 therein, each adapted to slidingly receive a guide and reiso the corresponding wedge block C.

taining lug 121 inwardly projecting from The parts are so proportioned that there will normally be a slight clearance between each spring follower and `the corresponding inner end wall of the yoke, for a purpose similar to that hereinbefore described in connection with the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3. v

The spring resistance elements E" are two in number, being disposed in twin arrangement between the front and rear spring followers Il" and each comprising an inner relatively light coil and an outerrelatively heavier coil. The springs are preferably placed under initial compression when the parts are as embled, thereby maintaining the wedge blocks engaged with the yoke and the guide and retaining lugs at the outer ends of the corresponding slots, limiting the separation of the wedges and n'iaintaining the same assembled with the yoke and other parts. Y

The operation of the mechanism illustrated in Figure 4l is the same as that hereinbefore described in connection with the construction illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 3.

F rom the preceding description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be evident that in both embodiments of the invention illustrated, I have provided exceptionally great column strength, in that in each instance, when the mechanism is fully compressed, the entire force is transmitted along the four sides and the center line of the mechanism.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

l. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, including a drawbar and a yoke, the combination with an auxiliary yoke mounted within and extending` longitudinally of said first named yoke; of movement resisting mechanism coacting with and supported by said first named yoke and supporting said auxiliary yoke independently thereof, said movement resisting mechanism including wedge members coacting with the opposite ends of said auxiliary yoke.

2. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable front and rear followers having wedge means thereon; of yoke interposed between said followers, said yoke having wedge means at the opposite ends thereof; wedge blocks coacting with each of said followers and said yoke; and a spring resistance coacting with said wedge blocks.

3. In a friction shock absorbing` mechanism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; a yoke element; a spring resistance within said yoke; wedge members at opposite ends of said spring resistance; and wedge means on said yoke and followers coacting with said wedge members to move the latter laterally while forcing the same toward each other longitudinally of `the mechanism.

4f. In a friction shock absorbingL mechanism, thecombination with relatively movable end followers, each having wedge mea-ns associated therewith; of a longitudin ally disposed column element having wedge having the opposite ends thereof in engagement with the followers when the mechanism is fully compressed to limit relative movement of said followers, said elem-ent having wedge means at the opposite ends thereof; a spring cage interposed between said followers, said cage having abutment means thereon; a pair of wedges co-acting with said wedge means of each follower and the corresponding end of said element; and yielding means interposed between said wedges and said abutmentmeans of said cage.

6. In aI friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination withrelatively movable end followers; of a yoke interposed between said followers; a spring resistance; wedge means coacting with the respective followers and the adjacent end of the yoke; a pair of spring followers disposed within said yoke, one of said spring followers be.- ing interposed between the wedge means coacting with each of said end followers and the adjacent end of said spring resistance.

7. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; of a yoke interposed between said followers and adapted to bel engaged by said followers to limit the. relative approach of the same; a spring resistance; and wedge means coacting with said followers and yoke.

8. In a. friction shock absorbing mecha.- nism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; of a yoke interposed between said followers; a spring cage within said yoke; spring resistance elements within said cage; and wedging means respectively coacting with said yoke and followers.

9. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism; the combination with relatively movable end followers; of a longitudinally disposed yoke between said followers, said yoke being of a length to limit the relative approach of said followers; a spring cage disposed within said yoke, said spring cage being adapted to engage said followers to limit their relative approach; a spring resistance element within said cage; and wedge means coacting with said yoke and followers.

10. In a friction shock absorbing mecha.-

f nism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; a set of end wedges coacting with each follower; a yoke disposed between said followers and coacting with each set of end wedges; a` double-ended spring cage within said yoke; and front and rear springs within said cage coacting with said wedges.

l1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable followers; of wedge means coacting with said followers; column-loacl-sustaining means coacting with said followers, said last named means including a shell and a. yoke interposed between said followers, said yoke having wedge faces thereon coacting with said wedge means; and means yieldingly resisting movement of said wedge means.

12. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism; the combination with relatively movable end followers; of a yoke interposed between said followers; a spring resistance; wedge means coacting with each follower and the adjacent end of the yoke; a pair of spring followers; and interengaging means on said spring followers and wedges for limiting relative separation of the wedges associated with each follower.

13. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movlr able end followers; of a yoke element; a spring resistance within said yoke; spring followers; wedge members; and wedge means on said yoke and end followers coacting with said wedge members to slide the same laterally on said spring followers while forcing the former toward each other longitudinally of the mechanism.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of January, 1924;.

STACY B. HASELTINE. 

